In
the present era of the mass media, conventional newspapers such as the Calgary Herald produce a small number of physical prints for public distribution in
comparison to the pre dot-com boom. Subsequently though, the popularity of
e-newspapers has skyrocketed. In society today, online media is an immense part of
our lives. Essentially everyone relies on it in order to be informed
and to share ideas.
An
online copy of a newspaper is different than a physical printed copy. Online newspapers are more flexible and
interactive for the user. It is flexible in that it allows you to simultaneously
access multiple news items including global news or past-run articles. It is interactive
as it allows you to access data in more versatile ways. For example, if by any
chance you cannot manage to find or access information the internet will give
you various options to pick from in order to reach your goal. Online newspapers
also appear to be more alive. This is accomplished through the management of color
and live images such as ads, which to the human eye is more appealing than your
traditional black and white newsprint. Furthermore, others point out the
e-newspaper is a more user friendly source of information compared to
the physical copy due to the flaccidity of the web version. If you are unsure about
a word or an argument presented in an article there is a plethora of
websites at your fingertips to clear any confusion.
On
the converse, it can be argued that due to the "freedom" and presence
of multiple ads found in an online copy of the newspaper it is difficult to concentrate
and critically analyze the column at hand. Additionally, reading a hard-copy forces your brain think analytically which improves the quality of reading
and also helps you to remember what was read instead of just skimming through
it. Another advantage of a physical copy is that you can carry it anywhere
you please without worrying about dropping it, being stolen, and/or charging the battery.
In
my opinion both versions of the newspaper have valid appealing attributes for
their users. I believe the type of medium you choose to read from effects your
overall thinking. For instance the brain is more effective in adapting to an
online copy then to a physical one because the information presented
has a more appealing way to the human eye. Also your brain unconsciously
connects easier to the more appealing information in some cases on a
personal level. Another consideration though is how the natural human tendency
of wanting to know the latest news is now boosted through the social media. We
all want to be the first to know the latest news and the internet tends to
"overload" us with this information consequentially not allowing our
brain to absorb and understand all the material. Moreover, online
copies sometimes tend to exaggerate to be able to catch the reader's
attention. Overall the semantic differences are minimal, what does change is
how the information is structured to the reader with more eye capturing colors and
images. Conclusively, online copies are more flexible, interactive and user
friendly therefore letting you feel like you have more control over
the information presented. On the other hand physical copies force
you to think more analytically and therefore enhance your learning process.
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